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If I lived in Portland and was in the market for garden design services the living portfolio that is the private garden of designer Darcy Daniels would be a strong argument in favor of her firm Bloomtown Gardens. Ironically it wasn't the blooms that were the big draw for me in this garden. It was Darcys' skill at combining foliage shapes, textures and color in both shade and sun.I found it particularly inspiring and wished I had had more time to take it all in. I still have my photos to refer back to, and those of others as well including several on the Bloomtown website . Since I am embarking on yet another renovation of my front garden in the next few months I've been paying close attention to details of gardens I've liked this year, especially those that feature plants that I can grow here in mine.

Streetside approach. I wish I'd taken more photos of the robustly planted hellstrip.

A sidewalk strollers view. The hellstrips in this Portland neighborhood we…

In June, just a couple of weeks after Garden Bloggers Fling, I set off again to attend the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon Study Weekend in Portland Oregon. This was my first time attending this event and I can surely recommend it. It was informative, fun and the chance to see some great private gardens will always seal the deal. Study Weekend kicked off on Friday evening, with a welcome reception, plant sale and the keynote address by Tom Fichser of Timber Press. Early arrivals and the local folk also had the opportunity to visit a few gardens in NE Portland before the official opening. I drove to Portland that morning from Grants Pass and arrived in time to catch 3 of the 6 gardens on the roster.
I started my tour at the garden of Jeffery Bale , designer and mosaic artist. The garden is a refection of both his design aesthetic and the influence of his extensive global travels over many years. As you enter along the shady path through the front and side garden you are immersed i…

My borrowed view is unfortunately the featureless rear stucco walls of the two homes that back up to mine. Mary and Larry Scripter can claim fields, farms and prairies unfolding west to the Rocky Mountains. The peaks are the ultimate geographic focal point as the backdrop to their Lauren Springer/Scott Ogden designed meadow. The Scripters are native to the prairies of the Midwest-Larry grew up in Kansas and Mary in South Dakota. They began the process of creating this Niwot Colorado garden in 2011, and in 2012 completed it-planting a mind-boggling 1800 plants in three weeks. The result is a dynamic living theater where birds and insects thrive and the rhythm of life unfurls with the seasons.

The gently triangular shape of the mown fields outside the
border of the cultivated garden points the eye west to the mountains.

Bloggers headed out to the meadow , but there seemed to be an enthusiastic mosquito population to greet us-the Scripters were stationed on the deck to offer us …